Skipper Gemma Worsfold enjoyed her first start of the season, alongside the recalled Chloe Winchester, while Ellie Russell and Emma Blakely made a welcome return to the matchday squad. They were joined on the subs’ bench by Niamh Andersson, the only other change to the side which succumbed to defeat at home to London Seaward last time out. Injury accounted for the omission of Izzy Glass-Oliver, who also watched from the dugout.

Greeted by ominous-looking dark skies, it was the visitors who almost broke through the clouds, in the very first minute of the match. Rachel Palmer created a ray of sunshine, with her ball over the top that saw home ‘keeper Mya Francis-Pownall deceived by the bounce off a slick surface. Sammy Quayle didn’t need an invitation to seize on the error, only for excellent recovery work by Renai McCrea and Jo Blodgett to snuff out the danger, at the expense of a corner.

That flag-kick produced another chance, courtesy of ‘Winch’s’ effort from the ‘d’ only just evading the crossbar on it’s way over, with Dani Rowe’s half-cleared set-piece providing the opportunity.

Sophie Humphrey then caused further concern for the R’s backline; an inside-left channel charge procuring a near own goal from Laura Hennessey. The post coming partly to her aid as the ball somehow stayed out.

However, despite all the early pressure, it was QPR who edged in front, via Blodgett’s very deep free-kick finding Grace Stanley in the area. A touch and drive later had Red’s number one Lauren Dolbear clutching at thin air, thanks to a fine finish.

Remarkably, we’d only been playing for seven minutes!

Palmer’s precision, seconds later, created a semi-opening for the returning Worsfold, when the Captain saw her close-range attempt blocked in the box by a hooped shirt.

Accuracy (equally) very nearly metered out by Katie Akerman, in the form of a measured shot from the centre circle dropping narrowly wide of the target.

Dolbear was eventually called into action by way of a fine low save to keep out Emilia Nygaard-Parsons’ header.

‘Loz’s’ timing impeccable as ever and particularly important in the context of the contest, preceding Quayle’s lead-doubling second of an increasingly wet afternoon. Beating the offside trap, ‘Super Sammy’ ran onto Bath’s ball over the defence and advanced before calmly slotting
past Francis-Pownall to make things all-square.

Nothing looked to be on for goal provider Bath, a smidging under ten minutes from half-time but that soon changed quite dramatically, via a piledriver off the inside-right that flashed dangerously across the face of goal.

Making hay down the same side, Winchester provided a low delivery that appeared to, possibly, be slightly behind an incoming Worsfold as she slid in and tried to hook home.

Persistence paid off shortly afterwards though; ‘Gem’ busting a gut to force a dead-ball situation that saw Rowe earn membership of the ‘Corner-Kick Club.’ Joining fellow alumni Georgia Tibble and Palmer in scoring direct from one, by nestling her effort in the far side of the net.

Forty-five showed on the clock but there remained enough time for the ‘Cream of the Coast’ to cause Manager John Donoghue to rewrite his intermission interjection. Rowe’s range-finder hitting it’s mark once again, due to Bath stooping to conquer at the back stick.

Regular downpours had left players suffering like drowned rats, so the second period, understandably, didn’t quite live up to the excitement of  it’s first-half predecessor.

Rangers, often reduced to long-range attempts that, in goalscorer Stanley’s case conjured upfeelings of hope and positivity, all too often left gaps that a relentless Reds regularly looked to exploit.

Although, it took them until around the twenty minute mark to make one of those forays count.

Wide out on the left, Palmer, this time, picked out the ever-dangerous Becki. Bath running onto Rachel’s free-kick and using her head once more to nod in and seal three welcome points.

Five minutes further on and the score might have been five. Emily Linscer, only on a few herself, raced to the byline prior to crossing towards Bath. While a hat-trick may have eluded the in-from forward, Humphrey was on hand to recycle and fire wickedly close to the far top corner.

Ranger’s day went from bad to worse as we entered the final stages. Injury to a clearly struggling Francis-Pownall left defender Alice Curr to swap her blue-and-white hooped shirt for an all-pink jersey and don the gloves.

Stoppages resulted in Bath coming close to adding the matchball to some post-match Birthday cake, watching on in sheer frustration as her attempt rolled agonisingly the wrong side of the upright. Katie Young having effortlessly played a very long pass for Linscer to latch onto and
set-up her teammate with.

The same deadly duo linked up again moments later, only for stand-in custodian Curr to deny Lincser a well-deserved fifth at close-quarters.

One last opening fell to fellow replacement Blakely, her glancing blow not quite landing as she met an identical Palmer set-piece to that with which Bath had earlier completed the scoring.